An Introduction to Business & Management Consultancy

Marc Baaij is an associate professor of strategic management at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Previously he worked for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as manager of research and strategy consultant. Marc specialises in methods and techniques for strategy development and implementation, with a focus on stakeholder management and strategic foresight development. He has written professional books and scientific articles on strategic management, management consultancy, and structured problem solving. Besides teaching bachelor, master, and MBA students, Marc also provides open and in-company training in structured problem-solving and communication for managers, consultants, and other business professionals. He also serves as a soundboard for managers in cases of strategy development and implementation. Marc holds a master’s degree in economics and is a PhD in strategic management.

• Chapter 1: Understand business and management consultancyChapter 2: Explore the disruption of the consultancy industry by AIChapter 3: Choose a business and management consultancy firmChapter 4: Become a business and management consultantChapter 5: Sell a business and management consultancy projectChapter 6: Identify the client’s problems and opportunitiesChapter 7: Structure the client’s problems and opportunitiesChapter 8: Develop and validate the hypotheses about the client’s problems and opportunitiesChapter 9: Develop and validate the possible solutions to the client’s problems and opportunitiesChapter 10: Structure a presentation about the recommended solutionChapter 11: Prepare for the implementation of the recommended solutionChapter 12: Facilitate the implementation of the recommended solution

"This excellent introduction is clear and accessible to clients and consultants alike, with an emphasis on structured problem solving techniques, but also covering wider industry issues, including AI. It is well informed, up to date and grounded in practice."